Heat Wave Workouts

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Exercise Tips for When Itís too Hot to Trot

As most of the U.S. (and some of the UK) pants and mops its brow and fans itself in the grip of the latest Worst Heat Wave In We Donít Know How Long, Maybe Ever, one particular group of citizens are more inconvenienced, and even threatened, by it than most. That would be those who, out of necessity or dedication, are committed to regular outdoor exercising: jogging, tennis, volleyball, basketball and so forth.

The question becomes how to maintain oneís healthy regimen without, in the process, killing oneself with heat stroke.
Here are a few tips on at least minimizing the negative effects of summer heat on the physically active, some of them poached from an item by Lisa Johnson on Thatsfit.com, www.thatsfit.com/2010/07/14/5-tips-to-stay-cool-during-your-summer-workouts/ and the others from By Robert S. Wieder , an all-weather jogger.

Get and stay hydrated. Knock back a big glass of water a half-hour or so before you start your activity, and have water at hand or on your person: figure about six ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise per person. A cloth to dampen and cool your head and neck with might also come in handy.

Go early. Lisa adds ďor go late,Ē but I disagree. Itís far cooler at dawn than at sunset, and you may not feel altogether comfortable being outdoors after dark on a hot summer night.

During sunnier hours, whatever your activity, wear as much heat-reflective white as possible.

If jogging, take the shadiest route available. Otherwise, grass or dirt paths are much cooler at any given time of day than a cement sidewalk, to say nothing of blacktop, which raises the effective temperature to Death Valley levels.

Also, if you live in the vicinity of an ocean, river or other major body of water, the closer you are to it, the cooler the air temperature. Take advantage by running along the shoreline, playing volleyball on the beach, or engaging in aquatic activities such as canoeing, kayaking or swimming. Being able to douse yourself with water now and then is another plus.

Take ďunhealthy heatĒ warnings seriously and gear down your usual effort; for example, walk briskly instead of jogging and take cool-down breaks during games and sports.

If at any time you feel lightheaded or woozy or just think the heat is getting to you, it is, so stop.